Elevator



Feb. 6, 1968 L. F. SANDERSON ETAL ELEVATOR 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Feb. 14, 1966 FIG. I

I NVEN TORS LEON F. SANDERSON ,JIMMY J. IPARKER,

GLENN D. HEAD 8| VERNIS H.MEYER ATTORNEY Feb. 6, 1968 I L. F. SANDERSON ETAL 3,367,725

ELEVATOR Filed Feb. 14 1966 2 Sheets-Sheet mini? Ill FIG. 2

[NV/5N! 0R8 LEON F. SANDERSON,JIMMY J. PARKER, GLENN D. HE AD & VERNIS H.MEYER ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,367,725 ELEVATOR Leon Franklin Sanderson, Jimmy Jay Parker, and Glenn Dale Head, Des Moines, and Vernis Henry Meyer, Granger, Iowa, assignors to Deere & Company, Molrne,

IlL, a corporation of Delaware Filed Feb. 14, 1966, Ser. No. 527,009 11 Claims. (Cl. 30261) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A hood structure adapted for support on the upper end of an elevator in which the hood structure includes horizontally disposed grates disposed in a row and extending in arch-like fashion across the path of a stream of air and cotton that is moving upwardly through the elevator, the entire grate structure being supported for vertical adjustment on the upper end of the elevator and the elevato-r being supported for vertical adjustment at its lower end, and linkage means interconnecting the hood, grates, and elevator whereby the hood will be adjusted downwardly as the elevator is adjusted upwardly and the grates will be moved vertically on the hood in response to vertical adjustment of the elevator.

This invention relates to an elevator. Still more particularly this invention relates to a discharge elevator utilized to remove cotton from the discharge area of a cotton harvester. Even more particularly this invention relates to a hood and grate arrangement for use with such an elevator that delivers cotton in a stream of air at its upper end.

It has been conventional to provide a hood on an elevator that moves cotton from its lower to its upper end and to place the hood so that the cotton will impinge against it and be deflected downwardly. In such an arrangement the cotton then will gravitate into a trailer or other type of cotton container. The hood often times is adjustable so that the cotton may be moved to various positions in the trailer or container.

It is contemplated in the present invention to utilize an elevator that picks up cotton bolls by an induced air flow at the lower end of the elevator and draws it into a stream of air that drives the cotton upwardly to be discharged at the upper end of the elevator. Primarily it is the object of the present invention to provide a unique grate and hood structure at the upper end that permits the air to pass through the grates of the hood While causing the cotton to be deflected. The grate structure is composed of a row of grates disposed in arch-like fashion at the upper end of the elevator that both deflects and guides the cotton downwardly.

It is a further object of the invention to provide that the terminal grate is adjustable to various angles of inclination. In cooperation with the adjustable terminal grate is a second grate that is supported on the elevator on the opposite side of the stream of material than the grate structure and which is also adjustable to various positions within the stream of material so that the cotton is deflected into the grate structure on the opposite side of the stream of material.

It is a further object of the invention to provide on the terminal grate at least one horizontally disposed grille that is pivotally supported for movement about a transverse horizontal axis. The grille is connected by link means to a fixed part of the elevator so that upon tilting of the terminal grate about its pivotal axis, the grille on the grate also is tilted about its axis.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a link age connection between the terminal grate of the grate structure and the lower grate on the opposite side of the 3,367,725 Patented Feb. 6, 1968 stream of material so that upon the terminal grate being deflected downwardly, the grate on the opposite side will be inclined at a greater angle toward the initial part of the grate structure.

It is a further object of the invention to provide means on the elevator for adjusting both the terminal grate and the grate beneath the stream of material by means of a lever supported at its midpoint on the elevator. Links interconnect the respective opposite ends of the lever to the adjustable hood or terminal grate and the base sup port for the elevator. A hydraulic cylinder is utilized to angularly position the lever so that upon the grate being inclined downwardly through adjustment of the hydraulic cylinder, the elevator will also be raised.

The elevator structure will be utilized in combination with a row-crop harvester and will operate to move the harvested cotton bolls rearwardly and upwardly to be discharged into a trailer or wagon that follows the harvester. The harvester is supported on a mobile vehicle that has hydraulic power means for raising the harvester into a transport position. The harvester is normally moved into this position when it is at the end of a row and the unit is being turned. It is a further object of the present invention to utilize in combination with the hydraulic system for raising the hydraulic unit a connection to the elevator structure which automatically raises the elevator simultaneously with raising the harvesting units. By so doing, the elevator is moved out of possible contact with the forward end of the trailer as the entire harvester is being turned at the end of the rows or under conditions of other sharp turns.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art as the nature of the invention is better understood from the following description and as shown in the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 is a side view of the rear portion of a harvester that utilizes the elevator structure of the present invention. Also shown is the forward end of a conventional type trailer.

FIG. 2 is a view similar to FIG. 1 but showing the elevator structure in a different position than in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a vertical sectonal view through the upper portion of the elevator taken substantially along the foreand-aft center line of the elevator.

FIG. 4 is a plan view of the grate and hood structure at the upper end of the elevator.

FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken along the line 55 of FIG. 3.

A harvester, indicated in its entirety by the reference numeral 10, is supported on a main mobile vehicle such as a tractor 11 and includes harvesting mechanism indicated only partially and in dotted representation at 12 that harvests the ripened cotton bolls from the cotton plants and moves them into a side conveyor in the form of an elongated fore-and-aft extending auger 13. The harvester 10 is supported on the tractor 11 by means of a bracket 14 that is pivoted at 15 to an axle structure 16 so that the entire harvester may be raised and lowered. The tractor is provided with hydraulic means, not shown, that operates a rock arm 17. Supported on the tractor 11 is a bell crank 18 having one arm connected to the harvester 10 and the opposite arm connected to a link 19 which in turn is connected to the outer end of the rock arm 17. Consequently by rocking the arm 17 the entire row unit 10 may be raised and lowered as desired.

The harvester is normally composed of a pair of row units 10 on opposite sides of the tractor 11. The angers 13 feed rearwardly beneath the axle structure 16 to paddles 20 that flip the ripened cotton bolls upwardly to opposite ends of a transverse auger structure 21. The auger structure 21 moves the ripened cotton bolls inwardly where they are flipped rearwardly by a central paddle, indicated in dotted representation at 22. The ripened cotton bolls fall or gravitate into a hopper-like container 23. Positioned above the auger structure 21 is a blower 24 that creates and drives a blast of air rearwardly through a short conduit 25. The duct 25 directs the air centrally to the lower end of an upwardly inclined elevator duct or housing 26 having upper and lower horizontally disposed walls 27, 28 and vertical side walls 29, 30 respectively. The lower end of the elevator has its respective vertical side walls 29, 30 pivoted, as at 31, to the respective side walls of the hopper 23. Consequently the elevator housing 26 may be moved vertically. The stream of air issuing from the duct 25 will cause to create a suction in the hopper 23 which will draw the ripened cotton bolls into the elevator housing 26 and move them upwardly to the upper discharge end of the elevator.

A hood structure is provided at the upper end of the elevator housing 26 and includes a pair of vertical side wall extensions 36, 37 that is fixed to the upper ends of the respective side walls 29, 30. An adjustable hood section 38 is provided adjacent the terminal end of the hood 35 and is composed of a pair of downwardly extending panels 39, 48 that continues rearwardly from the respective walls 36, 37. The panels 39, 40 are pivotally supported at 42 on the Walls 36, 37 so that the adjustable hood section 38 may be moved vertically.

The upper sides of the grate structures 35, 38 are closed by grates or grilles that extend between the sides 36, 37 and 39, 40 and extend in arch-like fashion across the path of the stream of air and cotton moving through the elevator housing 26, The grate structure is composed of a pair of fixed grates 45, 46 fixed to transverse rods 47, 48 extending between the walls 36, 37. The grate structures 45, 46 are composed of a series of longitudinally extending and transversely spaced apart rods 49, 50 respectively that are welded or otherwise fixed to plates 51, 52 which in turn are fixed to the rods 47, 48. The plates 51, 52 are on the initial or lower end of the rods 49, 50 and consequently the rods 49, 50 extend upwardly and rearwardly to free ends. The rear ends of the rods 49 are disposed beneath the rod 48 in the forward portion of the plate 52. By so positioning the rods 49, 50 cotton impinging against them will slide off the free ends of the rods. It should be recognized that any obstruction would create a condition in which a buildup of cotton would eventually occur. Consequently it is desired to provide free sliding surfaces, such as the rods 49, 50 on which the cotton may contact and slide longitudinally.

Provided between the side walls 39, 40 of the hood extension 38 is a fixed grate 55 composed of parallel longitudinally extending rods 56. A metal strap 57 overlies and rigidly interconnects the forward ends of the rods 56. The outermost rods 56 are welded to horizontal flanges of angle iron members 58 that have their vertical flanges fixed to the respective side walls 39, 40. An angle iron downwardly opening U-shaped structural member 59 has a horizontal bight portion fixed to and overlying the forward end of the rods 56 and a pair of vertical leg portions fixed to the outer surface of the respective side wall extensions 39, 40. The lower ends of the angle iron member 59 extend beneath the lower edges of the walls 36, 37. The leg portions serve as structural members and receive horizontal pivot pins 42 on the walls 36, 37 so that the entire adjustable hood 38 may pivot. The rear ends of the side Walls 39, 40 are braced by a U-shaped plate member 60 that has a horizontal cross portion spaced vertically above the upper edges of the walls 39, 40. The bight portion has an arcuate rear edge 61. Similarly the rear edges of the plates 51, 52 are arcuate shaped. The purpose of so shaping the plates is to prevent the hairpinning of fibers that pass through the respective grilles or grates around the rear edges of the plates. Being arcuate shaped or rounded at their rear edges, the air blowing through the elevator will cause the fibers to depart from those edges.

A lower grate 63 is provided on the underside of the elevator and extends between the side walls 36, 37 at the point of overlap between those walls and the sides 29, 30 of the elevator duct 26. The grate structure 63 is composed of longitudinally extending parallel rods 64 rigidly interconnected at their forward ends by a head plate 65 which in turn is supported on a pivot rod 66 to permit vertical adjustment of the grate 63. The rear or free ends of the rods 64 overlie a transverse rod 67 having opposite ends projecting through arcuate slots 68, 69 in the re spective wall extensions 36, 37. The arcuate slots 68, 69 are formed about the axis of the pivot pin or rod 66. Opposite ends of the rod 67 are connected to lower ends of the leg portions of the angle iron structural member 59 by means of links 70, 71. As may be readily apparent movement or adjustment of the adjustable hood structure 38 will automatically move the lower grate structure 63.

A terminal grate or grille is provided on the hood 38 and generally continues rearwardly from the rear end of grate 55. The grille 80 is composed of a series of parallel foreand-aft extending rods 81 fixed at their forward ends to a hinge plate 82 mounted on a hinge pin 83. Opposite ends of the pin 83 extend through the respective sides 39, 40 and have rigidly connected thereto radial arms 84. A pair of links extends between and is connected to the upper ends of the arms 84 and the side extensions 36, 37. Spacers 86, 87 are provided to place the links 85 and arms 84 sufiiciently outwardly of the side walls to prevent interference. Consequently as the hood portion 38 is adjusted vertically about the horizontal axis of the pins 42, the grille 80 is automatically swung vertically about the horizontal axis of the pin 83.

Power means is provided on the elevator for adjusting the terminal grate 38 and the lower grate 63 and includes lever means in the form of a pair of parallel levers 72 pivotally mounted on brackets 73 that extend upwardly from the upper surface of the elevator housing 26. The lower end of each lever is connected to the adjustable grate by means of a link 74. A hydraulic cylinder 75 extends from the upper surface of the elevator housing 26 to the lever 72 and operates to move the lever 72 fore and aft. Upon the hydraulic cylinder 75 being adjusted, the link 74 will draw or push the adjustable hood upwardly or downwardly as desired. The lower end of the U-shaped structural member 59, being connected to the links 70, 71, will force the lower grate upwardly or downwardly in the respective slots 68, 69.

The upper end of the lever 72 is connected to the rock arm 17 on the tractor by means of a pair of interconnected links 76, 77. At the point of interconnection between the links 76 and 77 there is provided a downwardly extending arm 78 that is connected to the hopper structure 23 and operates to prevent interference between the links 76, 77 and the top of the blower housing. The links 76, 77 serve two purposes, the first being to operate to anchor the upper end of the lever 72 against movement so that upon retraction of the cylinder 75 the entire elevator housing 26 is moved downwardly about the pivot 31. As previously mentioned retraction of the cylinder 75 will also cause the adjustable hood 38 to move upwardly, the grate 80 to move upwardly, and to guide the material to the rear end of a trailer, indicated in its entirety by the reference numeral 95. The trailer is connected to a conventional type drawbar 96 on the tractor 11 and normally trails the tractor. Upon extension of the cylinder 75, the hood 38 moves downwardly, the grate 88 moves downwardly with respect to the hood, and similarly the elevator 26 moves upwardly. This is desired for the reason that upon delivering material to the forward end of the trailer 95, it is desired that the cotton move at a sharper angle through the housing 26 and contact the grates 45, 46 and 55 and 80 at a sharp angle so that deflection will also occur at a sharp angle. Likewise, it

is desired that the terminal grate 80 be directed sharply downwardly to discharge the material in the forward end of the trailer.

The second purpose of the links 76, 77 is to serve as an automatic means for raising the elevator 26 upon the row units being raised. As previously mentioned, upon the rock arm 17 being swung forwardly, the row units Will tend to rise on the horizontal pivot 15. At the same time, the rock arm 17 will pull the links 76, 77 forwardly to thereby raise the elevator 26. This is important for the purpose of permitting the cotton harvesting assembly to turn at the end of rows. Normally the harvesting units are raised for purposes of turning and it is desirable to also raise the elevator 26 so that the discharge end of the elevator does not contact the trailer as it is being turned.

While only one form of the invention has been shown, it should be recognized that other forms and variations will occur to those skilled in the art without departing from the nature of the invention. Therefore while the pre ferred form was shown for the purpose of clearly and concisely illustrating the principles of the invention, it should be understood there is no intention to limit or narrow the invention beyond the broad concept set forth in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A hood arrangement for use on an elevator having upper and lower ends and for delivering cotton in a stream of air between the lower and upper ends, the hood arrangement comprising: a grate structure composed of a plurality of grates in a continuous row supported on the upper end of the elevator for vertical adjustment, the grates extending in arch-like fashion across the path of the stream of air and cotton to a terminal grate for redirecting the cotton from an upwardly to a downwardly directed path; means on the elevator for adjusting the angular inclination of at least part of the grates; and a lower grate supported on the elevator adjacent the upper end and beneath the row of grates, and being on the opposite side of the stream than the row of grates, the lower grate being inclined to extend in the path of the air and cotton for deflecting the cotton toward the row of grates.

2. The structure as set forth in claim 1 in which the lower grate is adjustable in its angle of inclination and further characterized by linkage means extending from the row of grates to the lower grate for automatically adjusting the position of the lower grate in response to adjustment of said part of the grates.

3. The combination of a base structure; an elevator pivotally supported on the base structure for vertical movement and having upper and lower ends, the elevator delivering cotton in a stream of air between the lower and upper ends; a grate structure composed of a plurality of grates in a continuous row supported on the upper end of the elevator extending in arch-like fashion across the path of the stream of air and cotton to a terminal grate for redirecting the cotton from an upwardly to a downwardly directed path with the angular inclination of at least part of the grates being angularly adjustable; a mechanism for raising and lowering the elevator; and means connecting the mechanism to said part of the grates whereby the latter will be moved downwardly in response to the elevator being moved upwardly.

4. The structure as set forth in claim 3 in which the mechanism is in part a lever pivoted intermediate its ends on the elevator, a link operatively connected to one end of the lever and said part of the grates, and a power device between the elevator and lever for adjusting the latter, and means linking the opposite end of the lever to the base structure whereby movement of the lever will simultaneously raise and lower the elevator and terminal grate.

5. The structure as set forth in claim 4 further characterized by a second means between the elevator and base structure for raising the elevator independently of the adjustment of the part of the grates.

6. The structure as set forth in claim 4 in which the base structure includes a harvesting unit and a vehicle supporting the unit for vertical adjustment and further characterized by a connection between the aforesaid means linking the opposite end of the lever to the base structure and harvesting unit whereby the harvesting unit and elevator are raised in unison.

7. The structure as set forth in claim 3 in which the row of grates is supported partly on the elevator and the adjustable part of the grates is supported on a hood pivotally mounted on the elevator for vertical movement.

8. The structure as set forth in claim 7 further characterized by one grate in the row of grates being pivotally supported on the hood for vertical movement and by a connection between the elevator and latter grate whereby the latter is automatically inclined downwardly with respect to the hood as the hood is adjusted downwardly with respect to the elevator.

9. The structure as set forth in claim 8 further characterized by a connection between the hood and base structure whereby the hood is automatically adjusted downwardly in response to upward adjustment of the elevator.

19. The structure as set :forth in claim 3 characterized by the elevator having a hood at its upper end that is vertically adjustable about a transverse pivotal support on the upper end of the elevator and by at least part of the row of grates being on the hood and being vertically adjustable about a transverse pivotal support means on the hood and characterized by the part of the grates on the hood being connected by a link to the elevator whereby the part of the grates will rock about the pivotal support means in response to vertical adjustment of the hood relative to the elevator.

11. A hood and grate arrangement for use in combination with an elevator having upper and lower ends and for delivering material in a stream of air between the upper and lower ends, comprising: a hood at the upper end of the elevator with an overside extending across the path of the stream of air and material for redirecting the material from an upwardly to a downwardly directed path, the overside including a grate vertically adjustable about a transverse axis on the hood and. adapted to permit incidental trash to pass through with the air while retaining and diverting the material, the hood being vertically adjustable about a transverse pivotal support on the upper end of the elevator; means for vertically adjusting the hood on the elevator; and link means extending between the elevator and grate and connected to the grate in a radial offset relation to its transverse axis, whereby as the hood is adjusted with respect to the elevator, the grate will be automatically adjusted with respect to the hood.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,750,235 6/1956 Frushour 3026l 2,772,445 12/1956 Hubbard 302-59 3,075,813 1/1963 Vohl 302-6 l 3,088,779 5/1963 Vachon 3026l 3,128,587 4/1964 Nickla 302-59 ANDRES H. NIELSEN, Primary Examiner, 

